At William Austin Infant School we plan topics which link in with the objectives set out within the National Curriculum. When planning these topics our aim was to ensure we give our children exciting, inspiring and enriching experiences where they can develop their knowledge about their locality, the United Kingdom and the world.

Within Years 1 and 2 children are taught to name and locate the world’s seven continents and five oceans as well as to name, locate and identify characteristics of the four countries and capital cities of the United Kingdom and surrounding seas. Children are given the opportunity to develop their understanding of geographical similarities and differences through studying human and physical features of a small area of the United Kingdom and of a small area in a contrasting non-European country.

Children also begin to identify seasonal and daily weather patterns in the United Kingdom and begin to identify the location of hot and cold areas of the world in relation to the equator and the North and South Poles. Of course, just like any other subject children will also learn how to use geographical vocabulary such as beach, cliff, city and town.

At William Austin Infant School children also have the opportunity to use world maps, atlases and globes to identify where they live (United Kingdom), as well as other countries within the world such as Serekunda in The Gambia (Year 2 topic), the continents and oceans.

The children in Year 2 have taken part in a WOW week learning all about different continents and the countries within them. Children took part in a range of activities and had lots of fun! Every afternoon each class visited a different teacher to learn about a different continent.

Further information

Please see below for some ideas of how you can support your children at home with geography.

Geography at home:

• After a walk to the local shops can children draw a map of how you got there?
• When in the car on a long journey let your children look at the map or Sat Nav directions too.
• Keep a daily weather chart.
• When watching the weather forecast can children identify the country on the map? Discuss what clothes they may need to wear that day.
• Play North, South, East or West. Label each side of the room or garden with N, S, E or W. A grown up calls out North, South, East or West and children run to that part of the garden or room.
• Write an imaginative story using the setting of a different country within the world such as Mexico, China or Australia etc.